Until We Meet Again
by The Silent Bull
Summary: Chelsea tells Raven that she has feelings for her, but doesn't get the reaction she hoped for and it causes a rift in their friendship.
1. Chapter 1

**Until We Meet Again**

**Summary:** Chelsea and Raven haven't seen or spoken to each other in nearly five years.

**Notes:** Although I did do a small amount of research, I know next to nothing about how things work in fashion design or environmental biology, so I made it up. This story describes a relationship between two women. It's not overly graphic but, hopefully, it is tastefully written.

* * *

**Chapter 1**

"Rae, you need to get in touch with Chels and tell her what's going on," Eddie Thomas said as he sat having lunch in the crowded mall with one of his best friends, Raven Baxter. They made up two thirds of the best friendship that ever existed, although that title was in jeopardy and had been for quite some time. Raven had a job interview in San Diego, which happened to be where Chelsea currently lived, and he was encouraging her to look the redhead up.

"Eddie, I haven't seen or heard from Chelsea in nearly five years," Raven said. "I don't think she want anything else to do with me," Raven explained sadly. Her mind wandered back to the day when their friendship fell apart. She and Chelsea had been laughing and enjoying each other's company as usual when Chelsea suddenly kissed her. Raven had reacted badly and everything went downhill from there.

_"Chels, what was that?" Raven said as she pulled away, her hands firmly placed against Chelsea's shoulders. _

_"I…I'm…I'm sorry," Chelsea whispered, thoroughly embarrassed. "I've been having these feelings for you and I couldn't pretend anymore. I thought…I thought maybe I would get lucky and you would feel the same way," she said as tears came to her eyes. "I'm sorry."_

_Raven watched dumbfounded as her best friend turned and ran away from her. _

"I'm sure she's just scared, Rae. Imagine how it must have felt for her to fall in love with you only to find out that you don't feel the same way." Eddie said, shaking his head.

"Maybe I do feel the same way," Raven said softly, eyes glued to her barely eaten sandwich.

"Say what?!" Eddie said, his eyes bulging.

Raven sighed. "I didn't think I was in love with her when all of this first happened. I was still seeing Devon. I thought she was still seeing Danny. She never told me they broke up and I only found out after bumping into him on campus one day."

"So, when did you figure it out?" Eddie asked.

"Well, things started to go badly between me and Devon after Chels left. I just wanted to be alone most of the time and he didn't think I loved him anymore, so he broke up with me."

It was the first time that Eddie had heard any of the details of her and Devon's breakup. He always thought it was a mutual decision. "Rae, how come you didn't tell me any of this before?" he asked.

Raven could only shrug. "It was a confusing time, Eddie." It took her over a year to tell him what happened between her and Chelsea. "I'm sure a part of me just missed my best friend, but I knew it was something else." She took a sip of her drink. "By the time I had truly figured it out, it was, too, late. Chelsea was gone and we hadn't talked in years." In all of the time that had passed, she'd never forgotten what it felt like when Chelsea kissed her.

"Rae, you gotta tell her," Eddie said after a few moments of silence.

"Psh! Ain't gonna happen," Raven said, shaking her head adamantly.

"You have to," Eddie insisted. "How can you live the rest of your life not knowing if you guys could've had something more?"

"She's had all this stuff figured out for a lot longer than I have, Eddie. She moved away…started a new life in San Diego. She's probably fallen in love with someone else by now."

Eddie sighed. "Even if she has, Rae, it would be better to know than wonder about it for the rest of your life."

Raven knew he was right, but she was scared. After the kiss, she had tried so hard to talk to Chelsea, but the girl wouldn't let her and before she knew it Chelsea was gone.

"I don't know," she sighed.

Eddie thought Raven and Chelsea had to be the two most complicated women he'd ever known. "At least think about it…_hard_," he emphasized with a glare.

* * *

After lunch with Eddie, Raven went home to finish packing for her trip to San Diego. Entering her apartment, she hung her purse by the door and kicked off her heels before making her way to the bedroom. There was a mess of clothing covering her bed and she sighed.

Life had been good to her. During college, she started her own clothing line and with a little help from Donna Cabonna, she had a small line of fashion in a several different stores. It provided a steady stream of income for her and she had been able to live comfortably while she finished school.

After graduating, she spent all of her time working on a new line, which was due to hit stores that fall. She even had several small write ups in different fashion magazines highlighting her as hot, new designer. Now, she had been offered a job with a design firm located in San Diego.

After Chelsea left, Raven buried herself in her work. Her days and nights consisted of sketching, sewing and trips to the fabric store. She tried to forget the redhead and move on with her life, but the job offer in San Diego had dredged everything up again. Although she didn't talk to Raven, Chelsea still spoke to Eddie from time to time, so Raven was aware of where she lived. She would be working and living less than five miles from the person she used to share everything with, who now seemed to want nothing to do with her.

Quite honestly, her feelings were hurt that Chelsea would so easily cut Raven out of her life. At the time, Raven had been confused as far as what she felt when Chelsea kissed her and she knew that it must have been difficult for Chelsea to take such a chance. She thought they could get through anything together, but apparently she was wrong and she never thought Chelsea would just leave the way she did.

Although she had come to terms with what she felt for her best friend years ago, Raven knew that her feelings for Chelsea weren't the only thing holding her back from seeing her. A part of her was afraid that anger would be more prevalent than anything else she felt.

A few hours later, after her packing was finally finished, Raven prepared for bed. She had a long drive to San Diego in the morning and a lot of time to think about some very important decisions that needed to be made.

* * *

Chelsea Daniel's hurried around her apartment as she got ready for work. Having stayed out a little, too, late the previous night with friends, she was paying for it this morning. An orange tabby cat darted back and forth in front of her as she made her way into the kitchen, nearly causing her to lose her balance.

"Ginger!" Chelsea exclaimed as the cat meowed up at her. She scooped a small amount of food and poured it into the demanding feline's bowl. Once Ginger was satisfied, she quickly made her way into the bedroom to finish getting ready.

Today, she would be working in the lab. Part of the attraction of becoming an environmental biologist had been the field work, but as she progressed in her career, she realized that it was equal parts field work and lab work. Last week was spent collecting samples from several different lakes and this week would be spent testing those samples.

After moving to San Diego, she attended graduate school and earned a master's degree in biology. A doctorate wasn't out of the question, but she decided that she needed a break from school and quickly found a job that she loved.

Grabbing her earrings from the nightstand, Chelsea studied the picture that she always kept next to her bedside. It was a picture of her and Raven grinning with their faces pressed together. It was a beautiful summer day and they had gone to an outdoor Boyz 'N Motion concert. It was during their senior year of college, before everything had gone downhill. She missed her friend so much, but she was pretty sure she had ruined that by running away.

Just then, her phone rang and she hurried into the bathroom where she left it.

"Hello?" she said as she checked her reflection in the mirror one last time.

_"Are you as tired as I am?"_

She smiled at the comment. "Well, you drank a lot more than I did, so you might have me beat."

Chelsea met Andrea Walters several months ago while at work. Andrea specialized in marine biology and there were a few occasions when Chelsea needed her help to decipher some odd test results. When she first moved to San Diego, she was so devastated over what happened with Raven that she pretty much buried herself in school and work. She had a few dates here and there, but ultimately she kept to herself. Andrea was the first person that she truly felt a connection with. She was easy to talk to and they immediately hit it off. It didn't hurt that she was nice to look at with pretty blonde hair and clear blue eyes. Chelsea and Andrea were taking things slowly, but as time went on they grew closer. Last night they had gone out with a group of friends for dinner and drinks.

_"Have dinner with me tomorrow night? Just the two of us,"_ Andrea asked softly.

"Okay," Chelsea agreed easily. "What time?"

_"How about seven?"_

"Sounds good. See you then."

With a happy sigh, Chelsea finished putting on her earrings and left for work.

* * *

Raven had never been to San Diego before, but it was a beautiful city and she was pretty sure she would have no trouble getting used to it. Her interview had gone wonderfully and now she was on her way back to her hotel. The job was as good as hers and she was set to have dinner with her future boss later. Although the interview only required one day, she had booked the hotel for three days, deciding that she could use a mini vacation and some time to scout different places to live. She also knew that it would give her some extra time to decide whether or not she would contact Chelsea.

As she made her way into the hotel room's kitchenette for a bottle of water, she wondered how life had been for Chelsea since she moved away. Did she love her job? Did she ever think about or miss their friendship? Was she seeing anyone? She hoped the answer to the latter question was no.

One thing she never told Eddie was that she had actually gone out on a date with a woman once. It happened about three months ago while she was attending one of Donna Cabonna's fashion events. She quickly struck up a conversation with the young woman named Lauren Cooper who was also a designer. She had long, dark brown hair, deep blue eyes, and a beautiful smile. Raven felt an immediate attraction to her and before she knew it, she was agreeing to have dinner with her.

It was strange at first, considering she had never dated a woman before, but as things progressed she found herself becoming more comfortable. After a few dates and a few chaste kisses, they realized that they worked better as friends. They were both constantly busy with their careers, but they usually found time to get together every couple of months and catch up. Raven never told Lauren that she was psychic. It was still a secret that only her family and very close friends knew about.

There were a few hours to kill before she would be expected for dinner, so scooping up her purse, Raven decided that some shopping was in order.

* * *

"I had a great time tonight," Andrea said as she and Chelsea left the restaurant. It was one of a handful of dates they had with just the two of them.

"Me, too," Chelsea smiled. Andrea grabbed her hand as they walked to Chelsea's car. "Maybe we should start doing this more often."

Andrea grinned and leaned in for a slow kiss. "I think you're right."

After arriving at the car, they shared another kiss before saying goodnight. Chelsea watched as Andrea walked to her own car and then drove home with a satisfied smile on her face.

* * *

The next two days passed slowly and Chelsea was beyond tired after putting in extra hours at the lab. Kicking her heels off as soon as she entered her apartment, she dropped down onto the couch and sighed. Two of the samples she had collected the previous week had been compromised due to a technician's carelessness and now she would have to get new ones. The mishap would set her back at least two weeks.

Chelsea closed her eyes and smiled as she stretched her tired body out along the couch. Her mind wandered to her date with Andrea the previous night and she couldn't wait to see her again.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she felt the weight of Ginger landing on the cushion next to her. She lazily petted the cat, who gladly soaked up the attention, when suddenly there was a knock at the door.

"Who in the world could that be?" Chelsea asked as she moved the cat to the floor and stood up. Running a quick hand through her hair, she pulled the door open and gaped as she looked into the eyes of Raven Baxter.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Raven's heart slammed in her chest as she took in the sight of her best friend standing before her. She didn't think Chelsea would have changed much in five years, but if it was possible, she had only grown more beautiful. Her thick red hair tumbled around her shoulders and deep brown eyes stared into Raven's hazel ones.

"Hey, Chels," she said softly, finally finding her voice.

Nervous didn't even begin to describe how Chelsea was feeling. Terrified might have been a more accurate term. "Hi," she responded just as softly.

"You gonna make a sista stand out in the hallway?" Raven smiled, trying to keep things light.

"I'm sorry," Chelsea said as she quickly moved aside for Raven to enter. She took her time shutting the door and slowly turned around to study Raven. She was gorgeous. Her black hair fell down her back in large, loose curls and she was dressed immaculately as usual. Chelsea wasn't surprised to find that her attraction to her best friend had not faded in all the years gone by.

Raven quickly took in the apartment. It was a beautiful space and it was obvious that Chelsea was doing well for herself considering the size of the apartment and even the building itself. Everything was decorated in earth tones with splashes of color here and there. It was neat and organized, but still felt cozy and inviting.

"You're probably wondering what I'm doing here," Raven said. Chelsea had yet to say more than three words, so Raven knew she would have to take charge of the conversation. "I was actually in town on business and I wanted to stop by and see how you were."

"I'm glad you did," Chelsea said sincerely, her eyes never leaving Raven's face.

There was so much Raven wanted to say and so much she had planned to say, but it all left her as she looked at the redhead. "Chels, I'm not going to lie," she began. "I have so many different feelings right now, but I came here for one very specific reason…I want my best friend back," Raven said emotionally, tears welling in her eyes.

Moving a few steps closer, Chelsea reached out to take one of Raven's hands in comfort. "I want that, too," she whispered. Tears slid down Raven's cheeks and she wasted no time in pulling her into a hug.

There was so much they needed to talk about, but as they stood embracing they knew that although the connection they shared since they were little girls had been strained, it had not been severed.

* * *

"Chels, why did you leave?" Raven asked. They were huddled together on the sofa, reluctant to let go of one another.

Chelsea knew the question was coming and she decided then and there that she was going to be completely honest. Taking a deep breath, she rested her head on top of Raven's. "Because I was scared. I was terrified that I had ruined our friendship and that you would hate me for kissing you like that," she explained nervously.

"I don't hate you and I never could," Raven said, looking at her. "I guess I was scared, too. I just didn't expect it. I didn't mean to make you feel so awful about it either."

"I think I knew that, but all of the feelings I had were so new and I was afraid. By that time, I hadn't told anyone, not even my parents," Chelsea said. "I guess you know what happened with Danny by now."

"Yeah," Raven said. She couldn't believe that they were just now having this conversation. They had missed out on so much because of fear. She wanted to ask Chelsea if she was seeing anyone, but she didn't want to go, too, fast. Maybe it was best for them to just try and be friends again first.

They lost track of time as they continued to catch up with each another.

"Look at you, Chels! You're a full blown scientist," Raven said as she eyed her friend proudly.

"And look at you, miss fashion designer," Chelsea said. "So, this is a little bit late, but congratulations on your clothing line," she said with a beaming smile.

"How did you know about that?" Raven asked.

"Rae, come on. I may have moved away, but I never stopped thinking about you or wondering what you were doing. Besides…Eddie told me," she revealed with a grin. "As a matter of fact…" she stood up from the couch and held out a hand for Raven to join her.

Raven gladly accepted and wondered what was going on as she was pulled along through Chelsea's apartment. A flick of the light switch revealed a beautifully decorated bedroom. Chelsea's favorite color, chartreuse, was used as an accent color against a deep, chocolaty brown. Another light came on to reveal her closet and Raven immediately recognized some of the pieces she had designed.

"Chels, look at all of this," Raven said in awe as she rifled through the closet. Some pieces she had forgotten about.

Chelsea smiled as Raven looked through the garments, checking the tags. "I think I wear a Raven Baxter Original at least three times a week," she said.

After Raven had finished going through the closet, Chelsea gave her a tour of the three bedroom apartment.

"Chels, look at all these nerd books!" Raven teased as they passed by a bookshelf.

As they continued on, Raven screamed—and Chelsea laughed—as Ginger appeared out of nowhere, scaring the daylights out of her. They were pretty sure the cat had been traumatized as she quickly fled to one of many hiding places.

Eventually, they made their way back into the living room and Chelsea watched disappointedly when Raven grabbed her purse as if to leave.

"I should probably get going since I kind of dropped in unannounced," Raven said. "I'm sure you have other things to do."

Chelsea looked at the clock. "Rae, it's only 7:30. Maybe you could stay for dinner," she suggested, desperate for her friend's company.

Raven wanted to badly. There was so much she still wanted to share with Chelsea. "Well, I do have some things I want to tell you," she began.

Chelsea watched as she was pulled into a vision. It had been so long since she had been privy to one of Raven's visions that she was practically giddy with excitement.

_"Chelsea, I'm so glad we found each other," said the young, blonde haired woman softly. She leaned in slowly and captured Chelsea's lips in a sensual kiss._

Raven took a deep breath as her vision ended. Chelsea grabbed her hands.

"Rae, what did you see?" she asked with a smile.

"Um…I think it had something to do with Cory," Raven fibbed. Her heart broke a little as she realized that she was, too, late in telling Chelsea how she felt. Her vision had just answered the question of whether or not there was someone special in Chelsea's life.

"How is Cory?" Chelsea asked, oblivious to the turmoil Raven was feeling.

"He's great," Raven answered. She didn't want to leave Chelsea yet, but she wasn't sure if she could hold it together after that vision. "Listen, Chels, I should go. I have to drive back to San Francisco tomorrow."

Chelsea's heart dropped. She wasn't ready to let Raven go.

"Don't worry," Raven said, smiling as she saw the frown on her friend's face. "I'll be back in two weeks…for good."

"What?! You're moving to San Diego?" Chelsea questioned. Her heart was pounding.

"I accepted a job offer as a senior designer yesterday." Raven smiled as her arms were immediately filled with the redhead. Maybe she was, too, late in telling Chelsea how she felt about her, but she would just have to live with it because there was no way she would go another five years without her best friend.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

It didn't take long for Chelsea and Raven to renew their friendship. Raven found an apartment close to work and it was less than a five minute drive from where Chelsea lived. They had already exchanged keys.

"Chels, I think we might be codependent," Raven joked as they sat down tiredly on her sofa. There were boxes everywhere. Chelsea had been by her side ever since she got back to San Diego and they were in the process of unpacking her things.

"Well, except for the five years we didn't see each other," the redhead joked wryly, looking at her friend.

Raven smiled sadly. "Still, you were never far from my mind." _Usually at the forefront _she thought to herself.

"Ditto," Chelsea said with a sweet smile.

Raven caught herself getting lost in that smile and stood from the couch. "So, what are we going to do for dinner?" she asked. "Cooking isn't really an option." She looked over at the boxes sitting on the kitchen counter. Her apartment was a two bedroom, with a spacious, open concept living room and kitchen.

"Actually, Rae, I kind of already have plans for dinner," Chelsea said.

"Oh…So, who's the lucky girl?" Raven asked with a smile that she didn't really feel.

"Her name is Andrea. I'm sorry. I should have said something before now," she apologized. She'd actually forgotten about it. "I don't want to leave you here to unpack all by yourself."

"No, girl, it's okay," Raven said, waving her off. "You go ahead and have fun on your date. I promise there will still be plenty to do tomorrow," she joked.

Chelsea stood from the couch and Raven walked her to the door. Before she could open it, the redhead engulfed her in a tight hug. "I'm so glad you're here now, Rae," she said softly in her ear. "You're my best friend forever and I love you."

Raven nearly cried at her words. "I love you, too, Chels," she said, reaffirming their relationship. If only she could tell Chelsea that she meant those words beyond that of friendship.

* * *

A few more weeks passed and Raven was settling into her new job nicely. Although they talked on the phone and texted, she hadn't seen Chelsea as much as she would have liked to. They were both busy with work and Chelsea had been spending most of her free time with Andrea.

One day, Raven entered her mostly unpacked apartment and went to the kitchen to find something for dinner. She was a pretty good cook in her own right, but she missed the days when she could enjoy her dad's cooking on a daily basis. It was great having a professional chef as a father.

Just as she began preparing a salad, her phone rang. She smiled when she saw that it was Lauren.

"Hey, girl, what's up?" she answered.

"_Hey, finally got a minute and decided to give you a call_," said the silky voice on the other end of the line.

Just then, someone knocked on the door.

"Hang on a minute. Someone's at the door," Raven said as she made her way into the living room. She opened the door and squealed in surprise when she saw Lauren standing there.

"Gotcha!" said the beautiful brunette as she entered the apartment and pulled Raven into a hug.

"What are you doing here?" Raven said smiling.

"Finally got some vacation time and decided to come and see you. I hope you don't mind," Lauren said.

"Girl, please! It's been way, too, long and you know you're welcome anytime."

Lauren kept Raven company while she finished making dinner and it was immediately decided that she would not be staying in a hotel when Raven had a perfectly good spare bedroom.

"So, how's the new job?" Lauren asked later as they relaxed on the couch with a glass of wine.

"It's great. I'm up to my ears in sketches every day and now I finally get to boss a few interns around," she joked.

Fully aware of Raven's experience as an intern for Donna Cabonna, Lauren smiled. She had gone through the same thing during her time as an intern. It was just the nature of the fashion design world.

Lauren studied Raven as she took a sip of her wine. She was such a beautiful person. Even though they had decided to just be friends, Lauren found herself thinking about Raven more and more over the last few months, thinking that maybe she and Raven didn't try hard enough. It would be even more difficult now that Raven had relocated to San Diego, but she was worth it in Lauren's eyes.

* * *

"So, this is your office," Lauren said as she walked around the space. "I'm impressed." Moving to the window, she took in the view of the city while Raven finished up a few things before they headed out for lunch.

"It took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to earn an office like this," Raven said as she began gathering her things so they could leave.

Lauren watched as the sunlight hit Raven just right, making her eyes and skin glow. She couldn't help it as she moved closer, invading Raven's personal space.

"Tell me again why we didn't work?" she asked softly.

Raven smiled shyly and closed her eyes as Lauren leaned in to kiss her. It had been so long since she'd had any comfort or companionship, romantically, and it felt good. She relaxed into the feeling and allowed the kiss to grow deeper.

"Hey, Rae, I was thinking that we could…"

Raven pulled away from Lauren suddenly when she heard Chelsea's voice and turned to see her standing wide-eyed at the door. "Chels…"

The redhead snapped herself out of her shock and quickly excused herself. "Sorry…I didn't mean to interrupt," she said before leaving.

"Chels, wait!" Raven called after her.

Lauren watched as she hurried after the redhead and sighed. "_That's_ why we didn't work," she said to the empty room, fully aware of who Chelsea was and what she meant to Raven.

* * *

Chelsea heard Raven calling her and she was almost to the exit when she felt a gentle hand on her arm.

"Chels, I can explain," Raven said.

Chelsea smiled tightly. "Raven, you're a grown woman. You don't owe me an explanation."

"Yes, I do because you're my best friend. I…I should have told you."

"When did you realize?" Chelsea asked her softly, afraid of the answer.

"I…"

"Raven!"

Both women turned at the sound of Raven's name being called to see that it was a coworker.

"I've been meaning to talk to you. If you've got a minute, I'd like to go over a few designs with you," the young man said.

"Sure, Mark. Give me a minute?" she asked politely. Mark nodded and left.

"Listen, I should get going. I'll talk to you later, okay?" Chelsea said once they were alone again.

She didn't wait for an answer and Raven watched defeated as she hurried from the building.

* * *

The rest of the week passed slowly and it was time for Lauren to leave.

"I'm sorry your visit wasn't better," Raven said sadly as she watched Lauren load her luggage into the trunk.

"Rae, come on. Don't be like that. I'm just glad I got to spend some time with you," the brunette said. She was disappointed that her plans didn't work out, but she supposed that it just wasn't meant to be.

Raven sighed. "Well, give me a hug," she said, wrapping her arms around Lauren.

"I'm going to give you some advice, Raven," Lauren said as she pulled away. "Tell Chelsea how you feel about her."

Raven shook her head. "It's, too, late. She's seeing someone else and they seem pretty serious."

"I'll bet you a hundred bucks that the only reason she's seeing this woman is because she didn't realize you were available," Lauren said, crossing her arms over her chest and completely sure of herself. "At the very least, she'll know how you feel."

"I guess you're right," Raven said. She still wasn't sure what she was going to do, but she knew it would be better than wondering _what if_ all the time.

With one last hug, she watched as Lauren drove away. It didn't take long for things to spin out of control since her move to San Diego and she had no idea what Chelsea was thinking after witnessing her supposedly straight best friend kissing another woman.

As she turned to make her way back to her apartment, she was pulled into a vision.

_"Rae, I wish you would've told me," Chelsea said softly as she took a step closer. Her hand came up to gently rest on Raven's cheek._

Raven took a deep breath as she once again focused in on the present and grinned. Judging from her vision, it seemed as if Lauren—and Eddie—had been right. Maybe it wasn't, too, late to tell Chelsea how she felt.

* * *

"Chelsea, are you okay?" Andrea asked. They were curled up together on her sofa watching television.

"I'm fine. Why?" Chelsea said.

"You've been pretty quiet the last few days."

"I'm okay. Just tired," Chelsea said, trying to reassure her.

Andrea noticed that Chelsea hadn't said one word about Raven over the last week and although it was somewhat of a relief, it was out of the ordinary. She had yet to meet Raven, but Chelsea spoke highly of her all the time. Instead of inquiring further, she snuggled closer and decided to trust that her girlfriend really was just tired.

* * *

Chelsea sat in her office doing some work on the computer, but her mind was a million miles away.

"Chels?"

She looked up to see Raven standing in the doorway. "Rae, what are you doing here?" she asked as she stood up and walked around to the front of her desk.

"Well," Raven began, taking a few steps closer, "I tried calling, but you weren't answering, so I decided to surprise you." Chelsea didn't say anything and Raven sighed. "Look, Chels, I know you must be mad at me…"

"Not mad…just confused," Chelsea said, leaning against the front of her desk.

"I wanted to tell you, but I just didn't know how," Raven said.

"When did you figure it out?" she asked softly.

Raven took a deep breath and moved closer until she was standing in front of her friend. "It was after you kissed me. I was confused about what I was feeling for a while. I never forgot what it felt like though."

After a few moments, Chelsea stood up and moved closer to Raven. She brought a hand up to the smooth skin of her cheek and gave a heartbreaking smile. "Rae, I wish you would've told me," she said gently.

Raven closed her eyes as Chelsea spoke her vision into existence. Her eyes opened again when the soft hand holding her face disappeared.

"It seems like we just can't get our timing right," Chelsea said as she moved away.

Raven's heart dropped. Somewhere in her overactive imagination, she saw Chelsea telling her that she stilled loved her and wanted to be with her, but she was wrong.

"And you're with…"

"I'm not with anyone, Chels. Lauren and I…we had a thing once, but it never went anywhere," Raven explained distractedly. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that Chelsea didn't seem to want her anymore. It had been five years, though, and she began to feel foolish for thinking that Chelsea would still be harboring feelings for her.

"It looked like it was going _somewhere_," Chelsea commented as she turned away to look out the window. She wanted to cry. After all this time, she thought she could get over Raven and move on with Andrea, but now, here Raven was, telling her that the kiss she had given her all those years ago had meant something. She knew she couldn't blame anyone but herself. If she hadn't run away then maybe she and Raven could have figured everything out together. But it was, too, late. No matter what she still felt for Raven, she was with Andrea.

"It didn't mean anything. It was just…comforting." Raven wasn't sure why she was bothering to explain anymore. Chelsea had rejected her and she had no choice but to respect that if she wanted to keep her best friend. "I just wanted to explain. I don't want to lose you again because of a misunderstanding," she said softly.

Chelsea didn't want that either. It would be easier to move on with Andrea if Raven wasn't around or if she was still just her straight best friend, but now, the idea of being with Raven was actually attainable and that made things so much harder. She would have to be strong because she wasn't going to lose her all over again.

Turning away from the window, she walked over and pulled Raven into a hug. "It's okay. I understand now. Love you," she whispered.

"I love you, too, Chels," Raven responded as she closed her eyes tightly.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Chelsea and Raven hadn't seen much of each other over the last couple of weeks except for the occasional text. Work continued to keep them busy, but the time apart also served as somewhat of a healing period, both of them coming to terms with the fact that they weren't meant to be.

It was a Friday evening and Raven had gathered her things to head home. She was looking forward to a quiet weekend to simply relax after a hectic couple of weeks. As she finished locking her office, her phone rang and she quickly answered without looking to see who it was.

"Hello?" she said as she made her way out of the building.

_"Hey,"_ came the soft voice on the other end of the line.

"Chels…Hey, girl, what's up?" Raven asked, secretly giddy at the sound of her voice.

_"Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come over this weekend and maybe have a girls' night. It's been a long time since we've done that."_

Raven's immediate instinct was to say yes, but she held back. "What about Andrea?"

_"Actually, Andi is out of town this weekend,"_ Chelsea said.

Raven greatly disliked the fact that she would be second fiddle to Andrea from now on. Even before everything had gotten so complicated, Raven and Chelsea's friendship had always been the most important thing.

"I'll be there."

* * *

Things were going a lot smoother than Raven thought they would. After a quick stop at home to change and get a few things, she made her way to Chelsea's apartment. They had dinner and now they sat on the couch with a glass of wine watching television. Their conversation stuck to safe topics like work, family and Eddie.

Sipping her wine, Chelsea watched Raven discreetly, wondering if she made a mistake by inviting her over. It was her attempt at keeping their friendship alive despite the awkwardness that had been present lately, but she had been staring at Raven all night and thinking about things that would be considered a little more than friendly. She took a big gulp of her wine and decided to find another safe topic to discuss.

"So, Rae, I went shopping last weekend and I bought that green sweater you designed, the one with the beaded pattern around the collar," Chelsea said, pleased when she received a bright smile from Raven.

"I bet it looks great on you," she said. Sitting her glass down on the table, Raven turned until she was facing Chelsea. "I actually have a confession to make," she began shyly.

"What is it?" Chelsea asked curiously.

"Well, when I designed a lot of my clothing…I pictured you as the model, sketched you even," Raven said.

"Me?" Raven nodded and Chelsea smiled shyly. "Rae, I'm sure you could have thought of someone better than me as your model," Chelsea said modestly although she was secretly flattered.

"Girl, have you looked in a mirror lately? You're stunning," Raven complimented. "Beautiful face, sexy curves. You got it goin' on, Chels."

Chelsea's heart began beating a little faster at the praise. She watched as Raven reclaimed her wine glass from the table and she desperately wanted to return the compliments. Raven was the most beautiful woman she knew and, in the past, she'd found herself comparing other women to Raven, but none of them held a candle to her. Her mind wandered to the woman she saw Raven kissing in her office and suddenly she wanted to know more about her, about what kind of woman would be lucky enough to catch Raven's attention.

"Tell me about Lauren," she said.

Raven's attention was quickly pulled from the television. She looked over to see that Chelsea was completely focused on her. "What do you want to know?" she asked nervously.

"How did you two meet?"

"It was at one of Miss Donna's parties. She was just easy to talk to and we became friends fast. She's a designer, too."

"How long did you two date?"

"Not for very long. We barely saw each other and we decided to be friends instead," Raven said.

There was a short pause before Chelsea softly asked the next question. "Why were you kissing her?"

Raven looked at Chelsea for a moment, wondering why she was so interested all of a sudden. "I didn't kiss her. She kissed me," she explained.

"But you didn't stop her," Chelsea said.

Raven furrowed her brow and gave a short laugh. "Why would I? She's an attractive woman and it was nice to be wanted."

_I wanted you_, Chelsea thought to herself. "Would you have slept with her?" she asked. She didn't know where this bravery was coming from. She supposed it was the wine.

"Chels, why are you asking me this?" Raven was becoming annoyed at the intrusive questions.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to be so nosey. I'll get us another glass of wine," she said as she stood up hastily from the couch. So much for sticking to safe topics. She had almost made it to the kitchen when Raven spoke again.

"No, I wouldn't have slept with her. I happen to be one of those crazy people who want real love and not just some fling." Raven watched as Chelsea turned around and slowly made her way back to the sofa. She sat the wine glasses on the table and sat down closely next to Raven.

"Have you ever been in love with a woman?" she asked, watching Raven intently.

"Just one," Raven said softly. Before she knew what was happening, Chelsea had leaned in and kissed her with more passion than she had ever felt in her young life. She was quickly reminded of the first time Chelsea kissed her, but this time she didn't dare push her away. Raven returned the kiss fully and wrapped her arms around Chelsea to pull her closer.

Chelsea brought a hand up to Raven's face as she deepened the kiss, her tongue caressing Raven's over and over. After a few minutes, she pulled away winded and rested her forehead against Raven's.

"Chelsea, I love you. I'm _in love_ with you," Raven blurted, the feelings she had been holding inside tumbling out. There was nothing else left to lose. She brushed her nose against Chelsea's and leaned in to taste her lips one by one before delving inside for a long, slow, drugging kiss.

Chelsea moaned as Raven's kiss went on and on. She had been dreaming of another moment like this for the past five years.

The need to breath once again forced them apart and Chelsea looked into Raven's eyes dreamily. "I can't pretend that I don't still love you, Rae. I never stopped," she said breathlessly.

"Chels, what are we going to do?" Raven said softly. She was ecstatic to learn that Chelsea still loved her, but there was still the fact that she was in a relationship with Andrea.

Guilt flooded through Chelsea. Here she was kissing and confessing her love to Raven when she promised herself she wouldn't do this to Andrea. "I don't know," she said. "All I know is that I can't deny how I feel about you. I don't want to."

Raven brushed the hair out of Chelsea's eyes and kissed her again. Soft kisses on the lips quickly grew into long, wet ones and she managed to pull away before things got, too, far out of control. "Maybe I should leave," Raven said as she stood up from the couch hastily.

Chelsea stood with her and grabbed her hands. "Please, don't go," she said. "I know that there's still a lot to be said and done, but I don't want you to leave. We have to figure out what we're going to do."

Raven sighed and pulled Chelsea into a hug, her hands gently rubbing her back. "All I know is that I love you and I want to be with you, but I didn't mean to come here and cause trouble," she said.

Chelsea smiled and pulled back to look into Raven's beautiful eyes. "Rae, don't you realize by now that all the trouble I've ever gotten into in my life has been because of you?" she joked, referring to the shenanigans Raven's visions always got them into.

Raven couldn't help but smile. "I'm serious, Chels. I just want you to be happy."

"You make me happy," she said simply.

Raven stared at Chelsea lips, which seemed to be begging for another kiss, but she managed to resist them. "Maybe we should call it a night and talk about this in the morning."

Chelsea saw Raven staring at her lips and she leaned in, barely able to contain herself as she rested her forehead against Raven's. "I'll go and get the guest bedroom ready," she said as she hurried away.

Raven fell to the couch and sighed. Lost in her thoughts, she nearly screamed as Ginger soundlessly jumped onto the sofa next to her. The cat usually headed for the hills whenever Raven came to visit Chelsea, but apparently she was over her fear. Raven turned her nose up as the cat brushed against her, purring, fur getting on her clothes, but as Ginger continued, she had to admit that the cat was pretty cute.

"I guess you're right," she said to the feline. "Unless I'm greatly mistaken, you and I are going to have to get used to each other." She lightly scratched Ginger under the chin and smiled when the cat purred louder.

* * *

It was early the next morning when Raven's body decided that it couldn't take the cold anymore. Forcing herself from the bed, she went into the hallway to look for the thermostat and turn the air off, but was unable to locate it. Seeing that Chelsea bedroom door was open, she went inside and quickly climbed onto the bed.

"Chels, it's freezing in here," Raven said to the lump buried underneath the covers. She heard an unintelligible groan and then the covers were flipped back.

"Get in," Chelsea said groggily.

Raven only hesitated for a moment, the cold air in the room making the decision for her. She quickly climbed under the blankets and snuggled up closely to Chelsea who wrapped her arms around Raven in return.

"You're so warm and toasty," Raven said softly as she ran a hand up and down Chelsea's back. She brushed her feet against Chelsea's and the redhead jumped.

"Rae, you're feet are like ice!"

Raven giggled and pulled Chelsea close once again. "Sorry."

Chelsea sighed in contentment and wished that she could wake up like this with Raven every day. She buried her face in Raven's neck and breathed in her scent. "Good morning," she said, pulling back just enough to look into her eyes.

"Morning," Raven smiled. Her eyes roamed down to Chelsea's lips and she didn't bother stopping herself as she leaned in for a morning kiss. It didn't take long for the embrace to become heated as hands roamed and touched each other's bodies. Raven moaned as Chelsea gently pushed her onto her back and straddled her waist.

Chelsea tongue dove deep into Raven's mouth and both women moaned as hips started to move. Chelsea pulled back with a gasp and looked down at Raven. "I want to make love to you," she said, her voice breathless with emotion.

Raven buried her hands in Chelsea's hair and pulled her down for another long kiss. She hoped that was answer enough. They continued with the touching and kissing and eventually Raven's hands wandered to the buttons on Chelsea's pajama top. Once they were loose, she sat up until she was leaning against the headboard with Chelsea still straddling her lap. She could see the smooth, pale skin where Chelsea's shirt hung open and she slowly reached up to push the garment off of her shoulders, exposing her full breasts.

"Chels, you're beautiful," Raven whispered as her eyes took in the sight. Both women were breathing shallowly.

Chelsea closed her eyes as Raven leaned forward to plant a wet kiss on her collarbone. Her body tingled from head to toe as she savored the feel of Raven's lips and tongue moving down to where she wanted them the most.

"Chels?" Raven said, her breath warm against Chelsea's skin as she continued her sweet torture.

"Huh?"

"I've never done this before."

"You're doing just fine," she panted. She buried her fingers in Raven's hair and tried to control the movement of her hips. Just as Raven moved her kisses to Chelsea's breast, her cellphone rang. "Damn it," she whispered as Raven stopped. She scurried from her lap and quickly snatched up her phone from the nightstand.

Raven closed her eyes and slumped against the headboard as she tried to gain control of her breathing and her hormones. She couldn't believe what was happening. She halfheartedly listened as Chelsea spoke to whoever was on the other line. Her shirt was still hanging off her shoulders and her red hair was draped to the front to reveal the smooth skin of her back. Raven crawled over to sit behind her and pressed her lips to the pale skin.

Chelsea closed her eyes and held back any sounds of pleasure as she listened to the voice on the other end of the line. "Isn't there anyone there that can take care of it?" she asked. Then she sighed. "Fine. Give me fifteen minutes." She ended the call and immediately turned around to capture Raven's mouth in a hungry kiss. After a few minutes, she pulled away reluctantly and rested her forehead against Raven's. "I have to go into the lab for a while," she explained. "Please, promise me you'll still be here when I get back?" she requested softly.

"I promise," Raven said.

With one last kiss, Chelsea made her way into the bathroom to get ready.

* * *

After a few more hours of sleep, Raven showered, had breakfast and lounged around Chelsea's apartment. Ginger sat catnapping on the couch next to her as she watched television, but was suddenly alert at the sound of a key in the door. Raven stood up and smiled, expecting it to be Chelsea, but it wasn't.

"Knock, knock! Chelsea, are you here?"

Raven and Andrea stood looking at each other in surprise for a moment before Andrea finally spoke.

"Oh…you must be Raven," she said. Andrea had seen pictures of her before, but they didn't do her justice. She was a knockout.

"And you must be Andrea," Raven said with a smile she didn't feel. The bliss that she had been feeling all morning suddenly dissipated as reality came crashing down around her. The last thing she meant to do was get in the middle of Chelsea's relationship and suddenly she was glad that they hadn't made love that morning or she would have been feeling much worse. "You must be surprised to find me here. Chels and I had a girl's night," Raven explained.

Andrea couldn't explain why, but she felt threatened by Raven. Maybe it was the way Chelsea always spoke so highly of her. It was as if no one else on the planet was as talented or beautiful or funny as Raven. She wasn't sure what else to say and was saved from doing so by the sound of the door opening again.

Chelsea entered her apartment and was immediately shocked to see Raven and Andrea standing there. Raven looked about as uncomfortable as she felt. "Andi, what are you doing here? I thought you weren't going to be home until tomorrow."

Andrea smiled and made her way over to her girlfriend. "I got finished early. I wanted to come over and surprise you. I thought maybe we could spend the rest of the weekend together."

Raven watched Andrea sidle up to Chelsea and kiss her on the lips. She turned away and cleared her throat. "Well, I think I should probably get going," she said.

Chelsea watched as Raven left the room to get her things. "Rae…" She wasn't sure what she could have possibly done or said with Andrea standing right there, but she knew that Raven was upset.

She returned a moment later with her overnight bag and stepped into her heels, which were sitting by the door. "I'll talk to you later, Chels," she said as she opened the door.

"Wait. I'll walk you out. Be right back," she said, giving Andrea a tight smile.

Once they were in the hallway, Chelsea grabbed Raven's hand and spoke quietly. "I'm sorry, Rae."

Raven sighed and squeezed Chelsea's hand. "It's okay. I understand." She really did. There wasn't much Chelsea could do about Andrea at the moment and she knew she played role in the mess that things had become. "Maybe this is a sign that we were moving, too, fast. I don't want to ignore the way I feel about you, but maybe we should have been thinking more about Andrea."

Chelsea heart fell, but she knew Raven was right. "I have to tell her."

"I don't want to rush you, Chels. I know this can't be easy for you," Raven said gently. "Take however much time you need, and when you're ready…I'll be here."

Listening to Raven's words, Chelsea was on the verge of tears. "I love you," she said softly.

Raven sniffled and put on a brave smile. "I love you, too," she said before turning and making her way to the elevator.

* * *

When Chelsea returned to her apartment, Andrea was no longer in the living room. Making her way into the kitchen, she saw her sitting at the counter with a bottle of water.

"So, how was your trip?" she asked, not really sure of what else to say. She couldn't believe she had gotten herself into this situation.

"It was good, but I'm glad we finished early," Andrea replied. "Sorry, I broke up your weekend. Is everything okay with Raven?"

"Fine, why do you ask?" Chelsea said a little, too, quickly, hoping Andi didn't suspect anything.

"She just seemed in a hurry to leave is all. You never told me how pretty she was."

Chelsea chose not to comment on how pretty Raven was. "She just had some stuff to take care of at home."

"Well, not to sound mean or anything," Andrea said with a smile as she stood and walked closer to Chelsea, "But I'm glad it's just us now. We can spend the rest of the weekend together."

Chelsea forced a smile as she looked at Andrea. She didn't know what to do, but she knew the more things dragged on the harder it would be.

"Chelsea, I'm so glad we found each other," Andrea said softly. She leaned in slowly and captured Chelsea's lips in a sensual kiss.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Two weeks passed and Raven had yet to hear anything from Chelsea. Every doubt and insecurity she could possibly have ran through her head. Had Chelsea changed her mind? Would she put off breaking up with Andrea just to spare the other woman's feelings? She was the sweetest person Raven had ever known and having to hurt someone like that would be very hard for her. When they were kids, Chelsea had accidentally bumped into Raven during an intense game of tag with Eddie chasing after them like a lunatic. She fell to the ground, scraping her knee, but Chelsea cried harder than she did, desperately concerned for her friend.

After stopping to grab something quick for dinner, Raven headed home and decided that a night of watching movies sounded good. Maybe it would keep her mind off Chelsea. She had come close to calling or texting on several occasions, but she managed to control herself and remember that she was the one who told Chelsea to take her time.

After changing into more comfortable clothing, Raven had barely settled on the couch before there was a soft knock at the door. When she answered it, she was surprised to find a sad looking Chelsea on the other side.

"Hi," she said softly.

"Chels, come in," Raven said, reaching for her arm. She was nervous, but anxious to know what was going on.

Chelsea took a seat on the sofa and sighed. "I broke up with Andi."

Raven wasn't sure there was an appropriate way to react to the news. There was nothing joyful about the fact that she had played a part in the end of a relationship, but she was also glad that she and Chelsea would be free to be together. "Are you okay?" she asked.

"I think so…I told her that I had feelings for you. She didn't say much. She just left," Chelsea said. "I feel so guilty."

Raven's heart fell. "Chels, I think we need to take this slowly. We can't have a relationship if we're going to feel guilty about being together."

"Have you changed your mind?" Chelsea asked, looking directly at Raven. Breaking up with Andrea was bad enough. She wasn't sure her heart could take it if Raven decided she didn't want to be with her anymore.

"No! Chels, I love you," Raven said, quickly reassuring her and wrapping her in a hug, "But I think you might need some time to be okay with breaking up with Andrea. She must have been a pretty special person if she got your attention."

Chelsea welcomed the embrace. "I told her nearly a week ago…I just…It took a long time for me to get serious with anyone. It was just hard."

Raven simply held her for a while. "What do you want to do?" she asked.

"I just want to be with you," Chelsea said. "Maybe we should take our time, but I still want to see you."

Raven closed her eyes in relief. She was willing to do whatever Chelsea thought was best, but she didn't want to go without seeing her either. Moving so she could look Chelsea in the eye, she gently ran a finger down the side of her face. "I can still kiss you, can't I?"

Chelsea nodded silently and closed her eyes as Raven leaned in. Full, soft lips pressed against hers and somehow everything was magically better.

* * *

It had been a long, hot day out in the field and Chelsea wanted nothing more than a shower and to see Raven. It was difficult, but they stuck to their promise to take things slowly. They spoke on the phone every day and saw each other as often as possible between work.

The weekend had arrived and the two young women had plans to spend it together.

Entering her apartment, Chelsea quickly walked to her bedroom and nearly screamed in surprise as she saw Andrea standing there. "Andi, what are you doing here?" she asked, a hand held over her quickly beating heart.

"Sorry," Andrea said as she stared at Chelsea. It had been nearly three weeks since she last saw her. "I just wanted to get some things I left," she explained, holding up the pile of clothing that was draped across her arm. She made her way into the living room and Chelsea followed. She sat the pile of clothing on the arm of the couch and pulled out her keys. "I was also going to return this."

She watched as Andi struggled with removing the key to her apartment from her key ring. Chelsea's phone rang then and she answered it quickly. "Hello."

Andrea was only halfway paying attention as Chelsea spoke on the phone, getting frustrated with the stubborn key. All she wanted to do was get her things and leave.

"Oh god," she heard Chelsea say. Andrea looked over to see that she had gone pale. "I'll be right there."

"Chelsea, what's wrong?" she asked, curiosity winning out over her desire to leave.

Her hands shook as she ended the call. "It's Raven. She was in a car accident. I have to go to the hospital."

Andrea could see how rattled Chelsea was and she continued to shake as she dug through her purse for her car keys. It was obvious she wasn't in any state to drive. "I'll take you," she offered quickly. No matter how angry or upset she was, she didn't hate Chelsea and she didn't want her to get hurt.

* * *

When they arrived at the hospital, they hurried to the emergency room. Raven had listed Chelsea as an emergency contact and they were allowed access to where Raven was being examined. Andrea hung back and watched through the blinds as Chelsea entered the small room where Raven was sitting on the edge of the bed. Aside from a bandage on her forehead, she appeared to be okay.

It fleetingly crossed Andrea's mind that she was a glutton for punishment as she continued watching them. Chelsea placed her hands on either side of Raven's face and leaned in to give her a deep, open mouthed kiss. It was clearly born out of relief, but still full of passion and Andrea felt her heart break all over again.

Tears came to her eyes as she continued to watch them. Chelsea was a beautiful person and although their relationship had been new, she felt herself easily falling in love with the redhead. But as she stood there watching them, she knew that Chelsea's love for Raven was very real and it was something she couldn't compete against.

* * *

"Dad, I promise everything is okay. It was just a fender bender and I hit my head. There was a small cut, but I promise, I'm okay. Chelsea is taking good care of me." Raven listened patiently as her dad spoke on the other end of the line. He had threatened to come see about her five times already. "Dad, there's no reason for you to fly all the way across the country just to check on me…okay…I love you, too. Bye."

After leaving the hospital the previous night, Chelsea had insisted that Raven stay with her and she had no intentions of arguing. It was an awkward ride home, to say the least. When Raven finally left the emergency room, she was surprised to find Andrea waiting for them. It was a quiet drive back to Chelsea's apartment.

Rising up from the couch where she had been napping before her dad called, Raven went into the kitchen to see what smelled so good.

Chelsea turned around from her place at the sink when she heard Raven. "Hey, I thought you were napping?" she asked as she walked over to give her a light kiss on the lips.

"I was, but dad called. He's crazy worried." She returned the kiss with one of her own.

"Well, I can't really blame him. So was I," Chelsea said solemnly as she continued to gather things for their meal.

"Sweetie, I'm okay," Raven said. "If something were wrong, I wouldn't keep it from you. Girl, you know darn well that if something was wrong with me, I'd be telling anyone who would listen."

Chelsea smiled at Raven's joke and pulled her in for a hug.

* * *

Later that night, Chelsea lay in bed waiting for Raven, who was in the bathroom. When she finally came out, she was dressed in a black sleep camisole and matching night pants. The band-aid on her forehead was a zebra print.

"You look cute," Chelsea said with a smile as Raven climbed in next to her.

Raven blushed at the compliment. "Thanks," she said as she cuddled up close to her girlfriend. They lay on their sides facing each other and wasted no time in sharing a kiss. "I could really get used to this, Chels."

"Me, too," the redhead said in-between kisses. She moaned as Raven's tongue pushed passed her lips and she allowed herself to indulge in the sensual feeling. "We should stop," she said after a while.

"Why?" Raven asked as she planted kisses along Chelsea's neck.

"Because you were in a car accident yesterday."

"I feel great though…so do you," she said as her hands roamed along Chelsea's curves.

Chelsea laughed. "Rae, I want to ask you something."

Raven reluctantly pulled away to look her in the eye. "I'm listening."

"Remember that cabin my mom rented when we were in high school?" She continued at Raven's nod. "Well, I was thinking maybe we could try that again."

Raven's first thought was how horrible that experience had been. "You mean with your mom and the touchy feely stuff?"

"Well, I _hope_ there'll be touchy feely stuff, but my mom won't be there this time. Just the two of us," Chelsea explained as she ran her fingers through Raven's soft hair. "And I promise we won't _de_luxe the cabin this time."

Raven thought about the idea of being alone in a beautiful cabin with a beautiful Chelsea and her mind was made up. "Count me in," she said as she resumed their kissing.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

It was a long drive to the cabin and Raven was relieved when they finally got there.

"See, Rae, it's got all the amenities this time," Chelsea said happily once they entered.

Raven grinned. "This is great, Chels," she said looking around. The flat screen television, surround sound stereo system and sectional sofa were all in place, unlike the last time.

The women quickly set about unpacking the car and getting comfortable. They had stopped at a grocery store while passing through town and there was plenty of food to last them for the duration. Chelsea made a fire, while Raven cooked dinner.

"You know, it's not easy cooking for a vegetarian," Raven said later as they sat down to a meal of eggplant parmesan.

"This is great, Rae," Chelsea said in-between bites. "Your dad taught you well."

Raven smiled at the compliment.

* * *

After dinner, Chelsea and Raven relaxed on the floor in front of the fire place. Chelsea's back rested against the couch and Raven sat between her legs.

"This is nice, Rae. It's like our own version of the quiet game."

"I'm sorry I was so mean to you last time we were here," Raven said softly.

"Rae, that was years ago," Chelsea said with a gentle smile.

"I know, but sometimes I think about the times when I took our friendship for granted."

"If anyone should be apologizing, it's me," Chelsea said quietly as she hugged her arms tighter around Raven. "I pretty much threw our friendship away when I left…I was such a coward."

"Chels, no. I'm just as much to blame for that. The truth is, I was scared, too. I could've done more to try and talk to you," Raven said.

"I was actually kind of surprised you hadn't." Raven was a relentless person when it came to getting something she wanted. The fact that it had taken this long for her to finally track Chelsea down spoke volumes to just how afraid she must have been.

"Well," Raven said as she turned to look at Chelsea, "the important thing is that we're here now…together."

Chelsea leaned in and kissed Raven softly. "I love you."

Raven smiled. "I love you, too, Chels."

Raven kissed Chelsea again and it wasn't long before they were completely lost in one another. Neither had any intention of stopping this time and they quickly moved to the bedroom to get more comfortable.

"Are you nervous?" Chelsea asked as they stood in an embrace. Her hands smoothed up and down Raven's back as they traded soft kisses.

Raven nodded. "You?" Her hands roamed from Chelsea's hips to the hem of her shirt and she slid them underneath to caress the smooth flesh.

Chelsea nodded and smiled. "I've never done this before."

Raven pulled back slightly to look Chelsea in the eye. "But I thought you and Andrea…"

"Nope," Chelsea said as she kissed Raven's neck.

"Oh," Raven said simply although she was secretly pleased. She moaned as Chelsea's tongue licked at a particularly sensitive spot on the side of her neck.

Conversation ceased as things began to heat up. Clothes were quickly discarded until nothing remained and Chelsea guided Raven to lie back on the bed.

"Am I, too, heavy?" Chelsea asked gently as she settled her body on top of Raven's.

"No, you feel good," Raven said before pulling her down for a long kiss. Her tongue teased Chelsea's lips before exploring inside.

As they broke apart for air, Chelsea sat up, straddling Raven's hips, and took her time admiring her body. "You're so beautiful, Rae," she said as her hands caressed Raven's breasts.

Raven moaned and reached out to do some exploring of her own. "So are you," she said breathlessly. Her hands massaged Chelsea's hips and moved upward over her breasts before slowly moving back down. Both women held their breath as Raven's hand brushed through the small patch of hair at Chelsea's center, her thumb caressing the soft, sensitive flesh below.

Chelsea's hips rolled deeply into Raven's at the touch and both women moaned at the sensation. "Rae…" Chelsea sighed before leaning down to kiss her breasts. Not one spot of skin was left untouched.

"Chels, that feels so good," Raven said as she felt her nipple enter Chelsea's warm, wet mouth. Her tongue teased the hard tip relentlessly before she moved on to shower the other with the same attention. Raven ran her fingers through Chelsea's hair as she became lost in the feeling.

Chelsea slowly ended her exploration as Raven began to squirm. She moved until she was lying next to Raven and kissed her passionately. Her hand smoothed its way past full breasts and across the soft skin of Raven's stomach before slowly moving her fingers into the slick heat below. "You're so soft," she said against Raven's lips as they continued to kiss. She continued to explore the delicate flesh as she fought to control her own body's reaction.

Raven couldn't keep her hips still as she felt Chelsea's fingers between her legs and she cried out softly as Chelsea began to concentrate on the tender bundle of nerves. Her fingers moved in slow, gentle circles and Raven could feel the buildup of the pressure inside as her breathing became more rapid.

Chelsea could feel the slickness between Raven's legs building up more and more and she slowed her massage as she moved her fingers further down before gently sliding them inside. They both sighed at the feeling.

"Chelsea, please," Raven moaned.

Chelsea began moving her fingers in and out, setting pace with the rocking of Raven's hips. She kissed Raven hungrily as their motions sped up.

The pressure quickly became, too, much and Raven's breathing was shallow as her release finally came. Her hand came to rest over Chelsea's as the redhead continued to stroke inside and she held it in place as wave after wave of pleasure crashed through her. "Oh, Chels," she moaned.

Chelsea slowly pulled her hand free and pulled Raven close as her body calmed. Her own body was crying out for release and she didn't have to wait long as Raven gently pushed her onto her back. The dark haired woman wasted no time as she settled her body between Chelsea's legs and began kissing her breasts. Chelsea moaned as Raven teased her nipples with her lips and tongue before moving her kisses down Chelsea's toned stomach. She ran her fingers through Raven's hair as she relaxed into the sensation of Raven's mouth and hands all over her body.

As Raven finally reached Chelsea's center, she took her time and used her fingers to massage the slick, pink flesh, her own body once again coming alive at the sight and the feel.

Chelsea couldn't help it as her own hand snaked down to touch herself. She was so close. "Raven, please…" she said, her voice husky with desire. She cried out as she finally felt the warm, wet flesh of Raven's tongue tasting her.

Raven kissed and licked along the soft folds before settling her efforts where Chelsea needed her the most. It wasn't long before Chelsea's hips were moving uncontrollably and Raven continued, pulling all of the pleasure she could from Chelsea's body.

Chelsea moaned deeply as Raven's tongue firmly brushed the sensitive bundle of nerves over and over. The pressure was intense and she cried out as her hips rocked out her body's release. She felt Raven move to lie next to her once again and they immediately embraced.

"Rae, that was…" she said, at a loss for words. Her breath came in short pants.

"I know," Raven whispered.

Chelsea entwined her body with Raven's and kissed her deeply. "I've never felt that way in my life," she said softly as their kisses tapered off.

"Neither have I," Raven said as she tasted Chelsea's lips once more.

* * *

Chelsea fell onto her back, her body glistening with sweat. She looked over at Raven and grinned.

"You owe me breakfast in the morning," she said.

"No fair, Chels. You didn't tell me you were going to do that," Raven complained even though her body was humming with pleasure.

"Hey, we had a deal. I held out longer than you."

"Yeah, but not by much," Raven laughed. Chelsea joined her.

They had been making love all night and any nervousness had long since dissipated as they continued to explore each other's bodies.

"You sure you've never done this before?" Raven asked as she rolled onto her side to face the gorgeous redhead.

"Positive," Chelsea smiled as she mirrored Raven position. She leaned in for a kiss, which Raven happily returned.

"So you're just naturally good in bed then?" Raven laughed when she saw the light blush come to Chelsea's cheeks. She was completely charmed.

"Well, you don't seem so inexperienced yourself. Are you sure you and Lauren never…"

"Positive," Raven said. "It's called common sense…and a little research."

A knowing smile crept across Chelsea's lips. "What kind of research?" she asked, leaning closer.

"How about I just show you," Raven said as she kissed Chelsea's lips.

* * *

The next morning, Chelsea received breakfast in bed as promised. She looked at the trays sitting on the bed in front of her and decided that it was definitely a perk, being in love with a chef's daughter. There were pancakes, fluffy eggs, a variety of fruit, coffee, orange juice, and even tea.

"Rae, look at all this," Chelsea said with a smile. "What are you gonna eat?"

"Hardy, har har," Raven said from her spot next to Chelsea as she leaned in to steal a piece of cantaloupe. She took a bite of the juicy melon and offered the rest to Chelsea who ate it from her fingers.

"Rae, last night was incredible," Chelsea said. Her voice took on a husky timbre as she continued looking at her girlfriend.

"I know," Raven smiled as she leaned her forehead against Chelsea's. "I imagined us doing a lot of things, but last night exceeded all of my expectations." She kissed Chelsea's then, tasting the sweet cantaloupe on her tongue.

"I love you," Chelsea said, continuing the kiss. After a moment, she pulled back when she realized Raven wasn't responding and saw that she was having a vision.

Raven took a deep breath as her vision ended and once again focused on the present.

"Do you know how strange it's going to be if you have a vision while we're having sex?" Chelsea was saying. Raven could only laugh and Chelsea couldn't help but join in.

"It won't be any worse than you shrieking during the heat of the moment," Raven countered, referring to Chelsea's tickle spot.

"What did you see?" Chelsea asked as she continued eating breakfast.

Raven smiled brightly. "I saw _us_, Chels. We were older."

"Wrinkles?" Chelsea asked. Raven nodded. "Gray hair?" Raven nodded again and Chelsea cringed.

"You were beautiful," Raven said softly, sincerely, as she touched Chelsea's face, "And we were happy."

**The End.**


End file.
